About the job

Job summary

This Electrical Engineering Manager post offers a rare opportunity to be part of the exciting changes within Defra Group Property’s (DgP) Science estate.

DgP manages the provision of facilities management services to Defra’s executive agency; the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).  APHA uses a wide range of specialist facilities as part of its aims to safeguard animal and plant health for the benefit of people, the environment and the economy.  These specialist facilities include biocontainment laboratories across the UK with the main laboratory campus being located at Weybridge. The Defra Weybridge site is the largest facility in terms of size and complexity across the Defra network and is currently going through a process of major investment (over £1b) and redevelopment in order to enhance its scientific capability. The site is at the forefront of research and diagnostic testing for animal and zoonotic diseases and leads on disease outbreak response for Defra. 

DgP Technical services at Weybridge fulfil the role of Intelligent Client Function (ICF) for FM services across DgP’s Science Estate.  

The Electrical Engineering Manager reports directly to the Head of Engineering and is responsible for the management of general engineering within the DgP Technical Services team.

Leading on policy, governance and assurance for electrical engineering systems, the Electrical Engineering Manager ensures that highest standards are implemented and maintained as part of continuous improvement and integrates with both the DgP Technical Services team and contracted service partners.

Job description

Key Responsibilities

• Working as part of a team of leading subject matter experts for the assurance and governance of engineering systems within the DgP Technical Services team, ensuring appropriate frameworks are in place for continuing professional development (CPD);
• Assuming ownership of all electrical systems across site;
• Interfacing with internal and external stakeholders, i.e. APHA, Service provider, etc.;
• Working closely with the FM provider and Asset Manager and staff within the team;
• Supporting the wider work of the Department in the formulation of strategies and policies related to corporate property ownership, condition, use and cost;
• Co-ordinating the formulation of capital and revenue funding bids for corporate property;
• Ensuring electrical and general engineering risks are being managed effectively;
• Leading on the creation, implementation and reporting of a governance model for engineering systems (non-biocontainment) across the DgP-SF estate;
• Developing and implementing a strategy for the assurance of engineering systems and processes; 
• Establishing boundaries with other SMEs (Subject Matter Experts) within the team;
• Working with ALBs to undertake incident investigations and  producing technical investigation reports;
• Leading on stakeholder engagement strategies for Electrical engineering;
• Ensuring asset information is accurate and available to Defra, project teams and the FM service provider;
• Ensuring appropriate and secure platforms are available for the management of hard and digital information; 
• Owning the technical standards for the Electrical engineering systems.
• Authorising technical specifications for replacement of, and new equipment/ infrastructure;
• Working collaboratively with project teams through all project stages, fulfilling the role of senior end user to ensure new assets meet DgP and APHA requirements and are successfully onboarded to the FM service contract;
• Ensuring equipment Service Contracts are appropriate, developing proposals for change as needed;
• Controlling and prioritising minor new works;
• Assessing and reporting on engineering compliance and assessed risk, and ensuring the Engineering Risk Register is maintained and controls are implemented;
• Developing and implementing site engineering standards and processes, aligned with industry best practice;
• Investment Planning, assessing 5 year forward maintenance register to provide resilience of operation; and
• Representing and supporting the Senior Management team in setting team standards and making decisions about future strategy and team development.

Person specification

Key Criteria

Successful candidates will be able to demonstrate the following skills & experience;

• Experienced in electrical engineering management in an operational context with demonstrable experience of managing multi-disciplined teams;
• Proficient in MS Office products;
• Proven leadership and FM service contract management skills, including developing and fostering an empowering environment;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills;
• Analytical and Technical report writing skills;
• Stakeholder management skills;
• Degree in Electrical Engineering;
• Incorporated Engineer status/Chartered Engineer or willing to work towards;
• Professional membership of an engineering-related institution, for example; IET or CIBSE or willing to obtain. 

For further information about the role please read the candidate information pack which can be found here.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £57,316, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £15,475 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

Application Process

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, and Personal Statement on how you meet the essential experience/key criteria required for this role and why you are applying for the role. (max 750 words).

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Sift

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the CV.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview. 

Sifting will take place w/c 18 March 2024.

Interview

If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on Experience, Behaviours, Technical Skills and Strengths.

Interviews will held in person at Weybridge and are expected to take place w/c 1 April 2024, but may be subject to change. 

A presentation or additional exercise may also be assessed.

Location

You would be expected to on site in Weybridge 4 days a week and can expect some travel to the regional sites up to 5% of the time, including overnight travel.

As part of the pre-employment process for this post, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s)

Where the location is ‘National’ the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both Defra’s location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

Successful applicants currently employed by the hiring Defra organisation for this post may choose to remain in their current contractual location or may choose to change contractual location to one of those listed above. This should be discussed and agreed prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations.

Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.

The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location, and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.

Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Salary 

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

A specialist pay allowance of up to £6,000 per annum may be available to exceptional candidates who are able to evidence at interview against predetermined criteria.

Visa Sponsorship Statement

Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. 

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: 

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
• Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional. 

Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Criminal Record Check

If successful and transferring from another Government Department, a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. 

Internal Fraud Database Check

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offenses. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Childcare Vouchers 

Any move to Defra from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.